Foundations: The Leadership Course Built for STEMM Professionals

What this course addresses
Most STEMM professionals reach a point where technical excellence is necessary but no longer sufficient. Decisions are political. Rooms are contested. Evidence is filtered through relationships, power, and competing priorities. This course builds the specific capacities that close that gap - without asking you to become someone you are not.

Who this course is for
This course is well suited to:

• Mid-career scientists, engineers, physicians, and technologists navigating complex organisations
• STEMM professionals who influence high-stakes decisions without holding formal authority over them
• Researchers, clinicians, and technical leads working across disciplinary or political boundaries
• People whose expertise is not reaching the decisions it should - and who want to change that

What you will develop
These are not abstract competencies. Each one addresses a specific failure mode that STEMM professionals encounter when their evidence does not translate into action.

Participants develop:

• Credible influence beyond formal authority
• Clear judgment under uncertainty and constraint
• The ability to communicate complex ideas so they are trusted and acted upon
• Inner capacities (including emotional intelligence) developed holistically and applied to real professional challenges

Who this course is not for
This course is likely not a good fit if you are:

• Looking for technical upskilling or domain-specific training
• Seeking generic leadership motivation or personality-based models
• Already operating primarily at a systems or legacy leadership level

How the course works

• Short, structured video lessons
• Practical reflection and application exercises
• Tools that can be used immediately in professional settings
• Optional peer reflection space
• Designed to be completed alongside full-time work

What participants report
Across the beta cohort - STEMM professionals from research, clinical, engineering, and technology settings - participants reported:

• Greater confidence in influencing decisions without over-asserting
• Improved clarity in complex conversations
• Increased credibility across STEMM and non-STEMM audiences
• Stronger alignment between values, expertise, and action

The Foundations program has been independently reviewed by the University of Sydney. It is the first stage of a three-stage evidence-based leadership curriculum developed specifically for the STEMM workforce.

Course fee

• Standard: USD $197

This course qualifies as formal professional development. If your organisation has an L&D or professional development budget, the Foundations course is an eligible expense. End of financial year (30 June) is a natural point to draw down remaining development funds.

About reduced fees
The reduced fee supports accessibility across different income levels and global contexts. Participants are trusted to select the option that best reflects their current circumstances.

What comes next
Many participants choose to continue into:
Integration: Influence & Decision-Making in Complexity